Blog 295 – 05.16.2016

For all of you Bernie Sanders fans I thought I would devote a blog to him. I know it is standard political policy to demonize the opposition but I just do not buy it. When I left organized religion some years ago one of the life long beliefs that I discarded was a belief in a personal devil. I did come back to a belief in a higher power but not to a belief in an almost equal evil counter part. Having said that, I would like to add that Ted Cruz is not Satan, though his brand of conservatism does not particularly appeal to me. Donald Trump is not the Devil, nor is Hillary, nor Bernie, nor anyone. Not even Barak Hussein Obama, Osama Ben Laden or Adolf Hitler.

A very dear friend of mine does not like Bernie Sanders and her reason is very simple. To her he has a very annoying habit of pointing his finger when he talks. I am sure it is just a gesture to emphasize the points he is making but my friend finds it distracting and really bothersome.

I have known of Bernie Sanders for several years since I was on a six month’s long work assignment near Denver and listened to the progressive radio station broadcasting out there. Bernie was often on the various talk shows and he expressed the progressive agenda quite well. Having been a conservative for those many years I was in organized religion but having come to reject most of those beliefs I found Bernie’s positions quite refreshing. At the time Talk Radio was dominated almost exclusively by Right Wing Conservative Republicans.

To be elected to a national office both Progressives (Liberals) and Conservatives must after they secure the nomination of their respective bases pivot toward the middle to get the Independent voters who tend to be more Moderate or Centrist. Some candidates have trouble doing that. I think Ted Cruz would have had a hard time of it and I think Bernie would too if he got the nomination.

People who like to point out how wrong the other side is often have trouble moderating those strongly held positions and showing a spirit of compromise and a willingness to “Work together to come to consensus.” which is the way government used to get the people’s business done. When you think everyone on the other side of the aisle or issue is a devil or demon cooperation goes out the window along with progress or getting much of anything done. Making one’s point does not mean the other side might not have valid concerns as well.

Moral: It is not impolite to point but it is impolite to judge anyone a Satan just because they have a different view or opinion.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White